The Book Of Alma (Chap. 5)

Alma 5:1
Now it came to pass that Alma began to deliver the word of God
unto the people, first in the land of Zarahemla, and from thence
throughout all the land.

Alma 5:2
And these are the words which he spake to the people in the
church which was established in the city of Zarahemla, according
to his own record, saying:

Alma 5:3
I, Alma, having been consecrated by my father, Alma, to be a
high priest over the church of God, he having power and authority
from God to do these things, behold, I say unto you that he began
to establish a church in the land which was in the borders of
Nephi; yea, the land which was called the land of Mormon; yea,
and he did baptize his brethren in the waters of Mormon.

Alma 5:4
And behold, I say unto you, they were delivered out of the
hands of the people of king Noah, by the mercy and power of God.

Alma 5:5
And behold, after that, they were brought into bondage by the
hands of the Lamanites in the wilderness; yea, I say unto you,
they were in captivity, and again the Lord did deliver them out
of bondage by the power of his word; and we were brought into
this land, and here we began to establish the church of God
throughout this land also.

Alma 5:6
And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, you that belong
to this church, have you sufficiently retained in remembrance the
captivity of your fathers? Yea, and have you sufficiently
retained in remembrance his mercy and long-suffering towards
them? And moreover, have ye sufficiently retained in remembrance
that he has delivered their souls from hell?

Alma 5:7
Behold, he changed their hearts; yea, he awakened them out of
a deep sleep, and they awoke unto God. Behold, they were in the
midst of darkness; nevertheless, their souls were illuminated by
the light of the everlasting word; yea, they were encircled about
by the bands of death, and the chains of hell, and an everlasting
destruction did await them.

Alma 5:8
And now I ask of you, my brethren, were they destroyed?
Behold, I say unto you, Nay, they were not.

Alma 5:9
And again I ask, were the bands of death broken, and the
chains of hell which encircled them about, were they loosed? I
say unto you, Yea, they were loosed, and their souls did expand,
and they did sing redeeming love. And I say unto you that they
are saved.

Alma 5:10
And now I ask of you on what conditions are they saved? Yea,
what grounds had they to hope for salvation? What is the cause
of their being loosed from the bands of death, yea, and also the
chains of hell?

Alma 5:11
Behold, I can tell you—did not my father Alma believe in the
words which were delivered by the mouth of Abinadi? And was he
not a holy prophet? Did he not speak the words of God, and my
father Alma believe them?

Alma 5:12
And according to his faith there was a mighty change wrought
in his heart. Behold I say unto you that this is all true.

Alma 5:13
And behold, he preached the word unto your fathers, and a
mighty change was also wrought in their hearts, and they humbled
themselves and put their trust in the true and living God. And
behold, they were faithful until the end; therefore they were
saved.

Alma 5:14
And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have
ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in
your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in
your hearts?

Alma 5:15
Do ye exercise faith in the redemption of him who created
you? Do you look forward with an eye of faith, and view this
mortal body raised in immortality, and this corruption raised in
incorruption, to stand before God to be judged according to the
deeds which have been done in the mortal body?

Alma 5:16
I say unto you, can you imagine to yourselves that ye hear
the voice of the Lord, saying unto you, in that day: Come unto me
ye blessed, for behold, your works have been the works of
righteousness upon the face of the earth?

Alma 5:17
Or do ye imagine to yourselves that ye can lie unto the Lord
in that day, and say—Lord, our works have been righteous works
upon the face of the earth—and that he will save you?

Alma 5:18
Or otherwise, can ye imagine yourselves brought before the
tribunal of God with your souls filled with guilt and remorse,
having a remembrance of all your guilt, yea, a perfect
remembrance of all your wickedness, yea, a remembrance that ye
have set at defiance the commandments of God?

Alma 5:19
I say unto you, can ye look up to God at that day with a pure
heart and clean hands? I say unto you, can you look up, having
the image of God engraven upon your countenances?

Alma 5:20
I say unto you, can ye think of being saved when you have
yielded yourselves to become subjects to the devil?

Alma 5:21
I say unto you, ye will know at that day that ye cannot be
saved; for there can no man be saved except his garments are
washed white; yea, his garments must be purified until they are
cleansed from all stain, through the blood of him of whom it has
been spoken by our fathers, who should come to redeem his people
from their sins.

Alma 5:22
And now I ask of you, my brethren, how will any of you feel,
if ye shall stand before the bar of God, having your garments
stained with blood and all manner of filthiness? Behold, what
will these things testify against you?

Alma 5:23
Behold will they not testify that ye are murderers, yea, and
also that ye are guilty of all manner of wickedness?

Alma 5:24
Behold, my brethren, do ye suppose that such an one can have
a place to sit down in the kingdom of God, with Abraham, with
Isaac, and with Jacob, and also all the holy prophets, whose
garments are cleansed and are spotless, pure and white?

Alma 5:25
I say unto you, Nay; except ye make our Creator a liar from
the beginning, or suppose that he is a liar from the beginning,
ye cannot suppose that such can have place in the kingdom of
heaven; but they shall be cast out for they are the children of
the kingdom of the devil.

Alma 5:26
And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have
experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the
song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?

Alma 5:27
Have ye walked, keeping yourselves blameless before God?
Could ye say, if ye were called to die at this time, within
yourselves, that ye have been sufficiently humble? That your
garments have been cleansed and made white through the blood of
Christ, who will come to redeem his people from their sins?

Alma 5:28
Behold, are ye stripped of pride? I say unto you, if ye are
not ye are not prepared to meet God. Behold ye must prepare
quickly; for the kingdom of heaven is soon at hand, and such an
one hath not eternal life.

Alma 5:29
Behold, I say, is there one among you who is not stripped of
envy? I say unto you that such an one is not prepared; and I
would that he should prepare quickly, for the hour is close at
hand, and he knoweth not when the time shall come; for such an
one is not found guiltless.

Alma 5:30
And again I say unto you, is there one among you that doth
make a mock of his brother, or that heapeth upon him
persecutions?

Alma 5:31
Wo unto such an one, for he is not prepared, and the time is
at hand that he must repent or he cannot be saved!

Alma 5:32
Yea, even wo unto all ye workers of iniquity; repent, repent,
for the Lord God hath spoken it!

Alma 5:33
Behold, he sendeth an invitation unto all men, for the arms
of mercy are extended towards them, and he saith: Repent, and I
will receive you.

Alma 5:34
Yea, he saith: Come unto me and ye shall partake of the fruit
of the tree of life; yea, ye shall eat and drink of the bread and
the waters of life freely;

Alma 5:35
Yea, come unto me and bring forth works of righteousness, and
ye shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire—

Alma 5:36
For behold, the time is at hand that whosoever bringeth forth
not good fruit, or whosoever doeth not the works of
righteousness, the same have cause to wail and mourn.

Alma 5:37
O ye workers of iniquity; ye that are puffed up in the vain
things of the world, ye that have professed to have known the
ways of righteousness nevertheless have gone astray, as sheep
having no shepherd, notwithstanding a shepherd hath called after
you and is still calling after you, but ye will not hearken unto
his voice!

Alma 5:38
Behold, I say unto you, that the good shepherd doth call you;
yea, and in his own name he doth call you, which is the name of
Christ; and if ye will not hearken unto the voice of the good
shepherd, to the name by which ye are called, behold, ye are not
the sheep of the good shepherd.

Alma 5:39
And now if ye are not the sheep of the good shepherd, of what
fold are ye? Behold, I say unto you, that the devil is your
shepherd, and ye are of his fold; and now, who can deny this?
Behold, I say unto you, whosoever denieth this is a liar and a
child of the devil.

Alma 5:40
For I say unto you that whatsoever is good cometh from God,
and whatsoever is evil cometh from the devil.

Alma 5:41
Therefore, if a man bringeth forth good works he hearkeneth
unto the voice of the good shepherd, and he doth follow him; but
whosoever bringeth forth evil works, the same becometh a child of
the devil, for he hearkeneth unto his voice, and doth follow him.

Alma 5:42
And whosoever doeth this must receive his wages of him;
therefore, for his wages he receiveth death, as to things
pertaining unto righteousness, being dead unto all good works.

Alma 5:43
And now, my brethren, I would that ye should hear me, for I
speak in the energy of my soul; for behold, I have spoken unto
you plainly that ye cannot err, or have spoken according to the
commandments of God.

Alma 5:44
For I am called to speak after this manner, according to the
holy order of God, which is in Christ Jesus; yea, I am commanded
to stand and testify unto this people the things which have been
spoken by our fathers concerning the things which are to come.

Alma 5:45
And this is not all. Do ye not suppose that I know of these
things myself? Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that
these things whereof I have spoken are true. And how do ye
suppose that I know of their surety?

Alma 5:46
Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the
Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days
that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of
myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them
manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of
revelation which is in me.

Alma 5:47
And moreover, I say unto you that it has thus been revealed
unto me, that the words which have been spoken by our fathers are
true, even so according to the spirit of prophecy which is in me,
which is also by the manifestation of the Spirit of God.

Alma 5:48
I say unto you, that I know of myself that whatsoever I shall
say unto you, concerning that which is to come, is true; and I
say unto you, that I know that Jesus Christ shall come, yea, the
Son, the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace, and mercy,
and truth. And behold, it is he that cometh to take away the
sins of the world, yea, the sins of every man who steadfastly
believeth on his name.

Alma 5:49
And now I say unto you that this is the order after which I
am called, yea, to preach unto my beloved brethren, yea, and
every one that dwelleth in the land; yea, to preach unto all,
both old and young, both bond and free; yea, I say unto you the
aged, and also the middle aged, and the rising generation; yea,
to cry unto them that they must repent and be born again.

Alma 5:50
Yea, thus saith the Spirit: Repent, all ye ends of the earth,
for the kingdom of heaven is soon at hand; yea, the Son of God
cometh in his glory, in his might, majesty, power, and dominion.
Yea, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, that the Spirit saith:
Behold the glory of the King of all the earth; and also the King
of heaven shall very soon shine forth among all the children of
men.

Alma 5:51
And also the Spirit saith unto me, yea, crieth unto me with a
mighty voice, saying: Go forth and say unto this people—Repent,
for except ye repent ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of
heaven.

Alma 5:52
And again I say unto you, the Spirit saith: Behold, the ax is
laid at the root of the tree; therefore every tree that bringeth
not forth good fruit shall be hewn down and cast into the fire,
yea, a fire which cannot be consumed, even an unquenchable fire.
Behold, and remember, the Holy One hath spoken it.

Alma 5:53
And now my beloved brethren, I say unto you, can ye withstand
these sayings; yea, can ye lay aside these things, and trample
the Holy One under your feet; yea, can ye be puffed up in the
pride of your hearts; yea, will ye still persist in the wearing
of costly apparel and setting your hearts upon the vain things of
the world, upon your riches?

Alma 5:54
Yea, will ye persist in supposing that ye are better one than
another; yea, will ye persist in the persecution of your
brethren, who humble themselves and do walk after the holy order
of God, wherewith they have been brought into this church, having
been sanctified by the Holy Spirit, and they do bring forth works
which are meet for repentance—

Alma 5:55
Yea, and will you persist in turning your backs upon the
poor, and the needy, and in withholding your substance from them?

Alma 5:56
And finally, all ye that will persist in your wickedness, I
say unto you that these are they who shall be hewn down and cast
into the fire except they speedily repent.

Alma 5:57
And now I say unto you, all you that are desirous to follow
the voice of the good shepherd, come ye out from the wicked, and
be ye separate, and touch not their unclean things; and behold,
their names shall be blotted out, that the names of the wicked
shall not be numbered among the names of the righteous, that the
word of God may be fulfilled, which saith: The names of the
wicked shall not be mingled with the names of my people;

Alma 5:58
For the names of the righteous shall be written in the book
of life, and unto them will I grant an inheritance at my right
hand. And now, my brethren, what have ye to say against this? I
say unto you, if ye speak against it, it matters not, for the
word of God must be fulfilled.

Alma 5:59
For what shepherd is there among you having many sheep doth
not watch over them, that the wolves enter not and devour his
flock? And behold, if a wolf enter his flock doth he not drive
him out? Yea, and at the last, if he can, he will destroy him.

Alma 5:60
And now I say unto you that the good shepherd doth call after
you; and if you will hearken unto his voice he will bring you
into his fold, and ye are his sheep; and he commandeth you that
ye suffer no ravenous wolf to enter among you, that ye may not be
destroyed.

Alma 5:61
And now I, Alma, do command you in the language of him who
hath commanded me, that ye observe to do the words which I have
spoken unto you.

Alma 5:62
I speak by way of command unto you that belong to the church;
and unto those who do not belong to the church I speak by way of
invitation, saying: Come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye
also may be partakers of the fruit of the tree of life.